Sean Strickland details “awkward” post-fight conversation with Israel Adesanya at UFC 293: “I think the guy needs some help”

By Harry Kettle - October 9, 2023

Sean Strickland has explained the conversation he had with Israel Adesanya after their UFC 293 main event.

Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya UFC 293

Last month at UFC 293, Sean Strickland shocked the world by capturing the UFC middleweight championship. He did so by defeating Israel Adesanya, with a convincing decision win that handed him the keys to the castle at 185 pounds.

While the future is uncertain for them both, many fans are just excited to sit back and bask in the glory of what Sean was able to achieve. Others, of course, are still trying to figure out what went wrong for ‘Stylebender’.

RELATED: SEAN STRICKLAND WEIGHS IN ON ISRAEL ADESANYA’S PERFORMANCE AT UFC 293: “AM I FIGHTING AN AMATEUR RIGHT NOW?”

In a recent podcast appearance, Strickland spoke candidly about Adesanya’s state of mind after the bout came to an end.

Strickland questions Adesanya

“It was so awkward,” Strickland said. “So, you guys don’t know this, like after fights, there’s a lot of showmanship in fighting, you know, ‘go f—k you, f—k you, f—k me.’ Usually, after fights — win or lose — there is this slight ‘Come to Jesus’ moment where, like, dude, it could have been me, but it wasn’t. Here’s a handshake onto the next one. Maybe we get a rematch … whatever.

“Anyway, he says, ‘you talked about my family. I would never do that. I would never do that.’ He looks at me, and he’s like, ‘I would never make fun of your family.’ And I’m like, ‘Izzy, I don’t know your family, bro.’ I don’t know if you have siblings. I don’t know f—k about you. This is after the fight. He starts pointing at his neck, and he’s like my f—king dog man, my dog.’

“Bottom line, Izzy, dude, I think the guy needs some help…. With Izzy, it’s starting not to be funny anymore because as I’m starting to understand Izzy and his love of his dog, peanut butter and all, I’m starting to realize that he could have some form of mental retardation like there’s something f—king wrong with this guy. You know, so now it’s just like I kind of feel bad like I’m picking on the r—ard kid at school that eats his boogers. It’s not funny anymore. It’s still a little funny,” Strickland concluded.

Quotes via MMA Mania

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Topics:

Israel Adesanya Sean Strickland UFC